Dean Bragonier’s the founder and ‘executive dyslexic’ of NoticeAbility Inc, a non-profit organisation which helps dyslexic students identify their unique strengths and build self-esteem.
His Queenstown workshop, supported by Harvard Business School, will take students through an entrepreneurial method of identifying a unique problem, creating a solution, building a business plan to support it, and developing a pitch for investors.
"It’s like Dragon’s Den, with no dragons in sight, and focused on the work involved in building out an idea from inception through to investor pitch," he says.
Bragonier notes about 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, while many of the greatest "change agents" in history have had dyslexia.
"In our opinion, the 21st century economy is perfectly suited for those with dyslexia to succeed," he says.
While most people with dyslexia have average or well above average intelligence, dyslexic students can appear less motivated in the classroom — which is a "psychological reaction to an educational system which knows little about the neurological condition".
His NoticeAbility Entrepreneurs & Innovators Workshop, hosted by Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand (DFNZ), will highlight the cognitive strengths associated with dyslexia and provide practical exercises to apply those strengths to entrepreneurial projects.
DFNZ chair of trustees Guy Pope-Mayell says they’re thrilled to be hosting the workshop.
"In close to 20 years advocating and supporting neurodiverse New Zealanders, DFNZ has seen first-hand how negative self-belief can be a major hurdle.
"The traditional school curriculum often does a profound disservice to many students by failing to mine the powerful capabilities of the dyslexic mind," he says.
The free workshop, suitable for students aged 11 to 14, is being held at Remarkables Park’s Te Atamira on Thursday, November 7, from 9am till 1pm.
For more information, or to register, shorturl.at/O6oqR
